Tripod head



April 21, 1925. 1,534,407

G. A. MITCHELL TRIPOD .HEAD

Filed Feb. 25. 1921 Patented'Apr. 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES sacada A.V MITCHELL. or Los CAMERA co., orLos ANGELES,

V 1,534,4o1f.v

PATENT oFFlcE.

marron application nica February as, 1921'. serian-147,287.

To all whom z't may concern.' a

Be it knownthatl, .GEORGEA A. MITCHELL,

a' citizen of the United States, residing at Los'Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, ,6 State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tripod Heads, of

which the following is a specifcation.

This invention relates to a tripod head.

useful in connection with tripods for various uses and purposes, and among the ob.

jects of the .inventionis the provision of a simple, effective, durable and solid device of this character. l

A tripod head as provided by this invention is applicable for use in connection with various types orconstructions of tripods, and is'adapted for various uses and purposes although it is particularly adapted for use on, or in connection with, a camera tripod, and more specifically, a motion picture camera tripod. For purpose of illustration and exam le the invention is herein specifically set orth' in a form best applicablefon useon a motion picture camera tripod it 25 being understood, however, that such disclosure is not intended-to act in anyway as a' limitation of the scope of the invention.

A particular and noteworthy feature of the invention is the provision of a tripod head with a rotating head part-having a large and effective bearing surface or support at its periphery. l By this construction a particularly solid and rigid device is rovided. The provision of a solid and rigid device of this character islo'f particular note in that ordinary devicesof this character are subject to being more orlessunfirmand liable to jar.l l

'Another feature of the invention is the provision'of bothquick and slow adjustin means in connection with the rotatab e hea member with a bearing at its periphery, or in other words, the invention incorporates the various adjustments, desirable in a device ofthis character with the durable and solid form of construction provided by the invention.; i

Other objects and features o-f the invention, not herein specifically set forth -or referred to, will be understood from the fol-V lowingdetailed description of a specific preferred Iform of the invention throughout which reference is had tothe accompanying drawings in which-v-` `ing member 22 concentrically.

Aportion 23, of thecarrier 20, is supported Y 'bearing member 22.

`Fig. 1 is plan view of the tripod head with some arts broken awa to showin section V and i j2'is a detai ed vertical sectional-view og the head taken as indicated by line 2 2 on Fig.y 1.

Throughout the drawings numeral 10 designates, generally, the frame of the device to which the legs12 are attached, by suitable pins 13, and on which is carried the' rotatable head 14.' The frame 10 is an annular cast member formed at its outer eriphery with an annular upwardly facmg bearing'surface 15, at its inner periphery with an annular upwardly facing bearingA surface 16 and and an annular downwardly facing bearing surface 17. Suitable Alugs or projections 18 a'refuformedvon the frame 10 to carry .the pins 13' by which the legs 12 are connected to the frame.`

Between the frame 10 and the rotatable head 14, or on ,theframe 10 and within the rotatable head 14,'is arran ed a. carrier 20, which supports the rotatab e head 14. The carrier 20' comprises a hub portion 21, a

bearing member 22, and a, gear or ring member 23. The hub portion 21 istted with a bushing 24 and is formed with an internall screw-threaded drum portion 25 into which the bearing member 22 is adapted toy tightly screw thread. The bearing member 22 is formed with a downwardlyfacing bearing surface 26 which en with the upwardlyfaclng bearing surface 16 of the frame 10. In practice it is preferred that a projection 27 be formed on the sur- `face 16 to extend into a recess 28 formed in the 'surface 26 to hold the frame 10 and bear- The ring from the hub 21 by radially disposed spokes or ribs 29, is formed at its periphery with a downwardly facingbearing. surface 30 and an`- upwardly facing bearing surface 31. The bearin surface 3() registers with `and engages t e bearing surface 15 of frame 10 and ,thereby causes the carrier 20 to be supported atl its periphery, or extreme outerv portion,- as well as at its hub, or inner portion, by

In practice the bearing member 22 being Ehe drumportion 25 is adjustable to cause he'bearing surfaces 26 and 16 and the bearing surfaces 30 and 15 to all accurately engage and cooperate. :In

gages and cooperates* screw threaded into 105,

asA

other `words, the 1 rest of the carrier 20 permits of adjusting cessp28.

the bearing surfaces so that properly and accurately supported both at its inner and its outer parts. From the foregoin description it will be readily understoo how the carrier 20, with the rotatable head 14, may be freely turned or rotated relative to the frame 10, and how it is held concentric with the framev at all times by the co-o-peration of projection 27 and vre- As means for setting the carrier and for positively preventing it from rotating relative to the frame 10, a hub 32 is supported concentrically in the bearing member 22, by spokes or ribs 33, to carry a sleeve 34 which extends downwardly through the frame 10 and carries at its lower end a washer or clamp member 35 and a lock nut 36. The sleeve 34 is formed at its upper end with a flange 37 by which it is anchored or secured at its upper end to the hub 32, and the clamp member 35 is formed with an upwardly facing surface 39 adapted to engage the downwardly facing surface 17 of the frame 10. The lock nut 36 which is preferably a knurled nut adapted to be easily gripped and operated by hand, is screw-threaded on the sleeve 34 so that it can be operated to engage, or bear against, the clamp member 35. With this construction it will be readily understood how the lock nut 36 may be tightened on the sleeve 34 to cause the en- 7 tire carrier 20 to be drawn, or firmly clamped, to the frame 10. It will be understoo-d from inspection of the drawings how this clamping action will not cause deformation of any artslof the device and will not cause excessive strains `to be set up in any parts of the device. This is because the strains of the clampin action are in the clamp member 35, bearmg member 22, and in thaty portion-of the frame 10 atwhich the surfaces 16'and`17 are formed. In operation the mechanism just described permits of the carrier 20, and therefore the head 14, being quickly and effectively set or locked against rot-ation simply by proper rotation of the lock nut 36. Further, when the carrier 2O is in its set .or locked condition it may be easily and quickly released to be freely r0- tatable by merely rotating the lock nut 36 to .loosen it on the sleeve 24.

The rotatable head 14'is a flat disk-like member formed at its periphery with a .downwardly facing bearing surface 42 adapted to engage and co-operate with the bearin surface through bushing and carry nuts 45 on the carrier is slowly rotating,

31 of carrier 20. A flange. 43 is ormed at the periphery of the head` the head 14 to extend downwardly its lower end portion. The sleeve 44 is held in the head 14 by a flange 46 formed at its upper end to fit in a recess 47 formed in the head 14. In practice the nuts 45 are adjusted on the sleeve 44 so that they clamp more or less tightly against the hub portion 21 of .carrier 20 and thereby cause the head 14 to be frictio-nally held against rotation relative to the carrier 20. The fact that the nuts 45 can be easily adjusted to take up wear or looseness is important in that it permits of the device being kept in proper and accurate working order.

At one side of the head 14 the flange 43 is broken away and a casing 50 is mounted on the flange 43, by means of suitable screws 51, to extend over and cover said broken away portion of the flange. The casing 50 is formed at its ends with bearings 53 and 54 in which are carried a shaft 55. The arrangement of the casing 50 and bearings 53 and 54 is such thatk the shaft extends through the casing at the broken away portion of Harige-53 and projects or extends from each end of the casing, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A worm gear 56 is mount ed on the shaft 55 within the casing 50 in a manner to engage and mesh with gear teeth 57 formed in, or at, the outer face or periphery of the carrier 20. Each end of the shaft 55 is adapted to receive a crank or operating handleby which the shaft. may be rotated to cause relative movement between the carrier 2O and head 14 due to the vcoopera-tion of 57. In practice the nuts 45 are set on the sleeve 34 only sufficiently tight to hold the head 14 against undesirable or accidental movement relative to the carrier 20 and is not sufficiently tight to prevent the head 14 from being moved relative to the carrier 20 by the operating means just described. It will be readily understood how the mechanism just described provides means for 0r accurately adjusting, the head 14 relative to the carrier 2O and frame 10 in addition to the means hereinbefore set forth for quickly adjusting or rotating it relative to the frame IO.

vides a tripod head with particularly strong and rigid constructionv and also convenient and desirable adjustments.

As Vmeans for attachin a camera, or the like, to the head 14, a ro 60 is arranged in the sleeves 34 and 44 to have ascrew-threaded-end portion extending above the head 1,4 in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 2. The rod 60 is formed with a collar 61 to engage the lower end of sleeve 44 and is of such en h as to extend from the lower end ofthe s eeve 34 and carry a suitable knob by 'which it may be o rated The rod 60 is rotatably carried in t e sleeves 34 and 44, and is adapted to be rotated to cause it to the worm gear 56 and teeth llfb - the tripod head is each other, one of sai `screw-thread into a suitable vbore in the camera until the camera is securely and firmly held and clamped against the head 14.. -The mounting of a. camera on the head 14 by means of t-he rod 60 does not interfere in any way with the' operation of the 'head as the rod 60 when tightly screwed into a camera merely causes the camera to be drawn against the upper face of the head and the upper endl of sleeve 44, and causes the collar 61 to clamp or bear against the lower end of the sleeve 44.

In practice when it becomes necessary or desirable to remove parts of the device so that inner, or enclosed parts are accessible the bearing member 22 1s tightened against vthe `frame and the head y14 and other parts u fof the head and at the periphery of the head y14-and is t-rallsmittedfrom the periphery of the head 14 to theperiphery of the frame l() through ring portion 23 o-f the carrier 20. In other words, theload supported by supported in part at and: by the periphery portion of the structure and not wholly by and atthe central, or ivot, portion of it. lIt will be understood `low this feature of the invention renders the device particular f solid and durable. The so-lidness and durability of the device are due largely to. the provision of a coin-l `paratively large long bearing surface at the outer portion together with a comparatively large ea-ring surface at the central portion." -Having set forth a preferred embodiment ofmyinvention Ido not-wish to restrict myself set forth but wish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may ap ar to those skilled in the art or that may fa l within the scope of thefollowing claims:

Having described a preferred form of'my invention, I claim 1. In a'tripodv head,v a vframe having an upwardly facing bearin vsurface near its center and an upwardlyacing bearing surery, and a member ro t-atably mounted on the frame and including two parts verticall adjustable relative to parts having a downwardlyfacing bearing surface adapted to bear on the bearing surface near the center of the frame and the other of said parts having a downwardly facing bearing surface t the particular details hereinabove v .its center and t adapted to bear on the bearing surface near the periphery of the frame. y Y

2. In a tripod head,l a frame having an upwardly facing bearing surfacenear its center and an upwardly facing bearing surface near its periphery, and a member rotatably mounted on the frame and includilm;`

two parts having a screw thread connection so that they "are vertically adjustable relative to each other, one of said parts having a downwardly facing bearing surface adapted to rest on the bearing surface near the center of the frame and the otherof said parts having a downwardly facing bearing surface adapted to rest on the bearing surface near the periphery of the frame.

3. In a tripod head, a frame having an upwardly facing bearing-surface near its -center and an upwardly facing bearing surface near its periphery, a member rotatably mounted on the frame and including twoparts having a screw thread connection so that they are vertically adjustable.r relaa. downwardly facing bearing surface 'adapt ed to bear on the bearing surface 'near the center of the frame and the other 'of said parts having a downwardly -facing bearing surface adapted to hear on the bearing sur- .tive to each other, one'of said parts having face near the. periphery of the frame, and

means .for relcasably clampinglone' of said parts to the frame.

4. In a tripod head, a 'frainil` having an upwardly facing bearing surface near its center and an upwardly facing bearing surface near its periphery, a member rotatablyv `mounted on the frame and including two parts vertically adjustable relative to each other, one of said parts having a downwardly facing bearing surface adapted to hear on the bearing surface near the center of the frame and the other of said parts having a downwardly facing bearing surface adapted to hear on the bearing surface near the eriphery of the frame, and a head rotata lyl mounted'on said member with a support at its-periphery..

5. In a tripod head, a frame having two upwardlyfacin bearing surfaces, onevnear v e other near its periphery, a member rotatably mounted onthe frame andincluding two parts adjustable vertically relative to each other one of said parts having a downwardly facing bearingsurface adapted to ride on the central bearing ofthe frame and the other having a downwardly facing bearing surface adapted to ride on the peripheral bearing ef Q`the frame, and

apted to ride `onv thev peripheral bearing surface ofthe frame, a head rotatable on y the carrier, said carrier having an upwardly facing bearing surface at its peripheryand Vthe head having a lower bearing surface at its periphery adapted to ride onthe last mentioned bearing surface of the carrier; said frame/also having an upwardly facing bearing surface near its center, an adjustable bearing member at the lower part of the carrier, adjustable vertically with relation to the carrier, and having a downwardly facing bearingsurface adapted to ride on the centraldoearing surface of the frame; means acting directly on the carrier at itscenter to clamp the carrier down on the fra-me, separate means holding the head down on the carrier, and means normally to hold the head against rotation on the carrier, and operable to rotate the head relative to the carrier.

7. In a tripod head, a frame, an upwardly facing bearing surface at the periphery of the frame, a carrier rotatable on the frame and having a lower bearing surface at its periphery adapted to ride on the peripheral bearing surface of the frame, a head rotatable on the carrier, said carrier having an upwardly facing bearing surface at its periphery and the head having a lower bearing surface at its periphery adapted to ride on the last mentioned bearing surface of the` carrier; said frame also having an upwardly facing bearing surface near its center, an annular bearing member screwthreaded up into the lower part of the carrier and vertically adjustable with relation thereto, said member having on its lower face a bearing surface adapted to ride on the 1 central bearing surface. of the frame, and means acting directly on said bearing member toclamp it to the frame.

8. In a tripod head, an upwardly facing frame having a bearing surface near its center and an upwardly facing bearing surface near its periphery, and a member rotatably mounted on the frame and including two parts vertically adjustable relatively to each other, one of said parts having a downwardly facing bearing surface adapted to ride on the central bearing surface of the -frame and the other of said parts having a downwardly facing bearing surface adapted to ride on the peripheral bearing surface of the frame, and means acting directly on the first mentioned one of said parts to clamp it to the frame.

9. In a tripod head, a frame, an upwardly facing bearing surface in the periphery of the frame, a carrier rotatable on the frame and having a lower bearing surface at its periphery adapted to ride on the peripheral bearin g surface of the frame, ahead rotatable on the carrier, said carrier having anupwardly facing bearing surface at its periphery and the head having a lower bearing surface at its periphery adapted to ride on the last mentioned bearing surface of the carrier, said 'frame also having an upwardly facing bearing surface near its center, an annular bearing member screw-threaded up -into the lower part of the carrier and vertically adjustable with relation thereto, said member having on its lower 4face a bearing surface adapted to ride on the central bearing surface of the -frame, and means acting directly on said bearing member to clamp it tothe frame, said means acting centrally on said bearing member; the carrier having a central hub part over said bearing member. a sleeve having a shoulder at its upper end bearing down on, the head, said sleeveprojecting down through the central hubpart of the carrier, a nut on the lower end of the sleeve below said hub part to hold said sleeve and the head down on the carrier, and screw means connecting the head and carrier nor- .mally to prevent relative rotation between them and operable positively to cause relative rotation between them. In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th day of August 1920.

GEORGE A. MITCHELL. Witness: VIRGrNIA BERINGER. 

